Visual and Performing Artists and Events in the News March 8-14, 2023

This is who and what’s creating news in Southwest Florida’s visual and performing arts community this week:

1     ACTORS

Gregg Birr is Bill in Hollywood Arms at Arts Center Theatre on Marco Island

Gregg Birr appears in the role of Bill in Hollywood Arms for Arts Center Theatre. Gregg’s previous credits include Beer for Breakfast for The Studio Players, the delivery man in Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park (which he also stage managed), The Same Time Next Year, An Evening of Ten-Minute Plays, Emotional Baggage and High Noon in Boom and How They Talk in South Boston. Go here for more of Gregg’s theatrical credits.

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Joey Bostic in ‘Sweeney Todd’ ensemble at Lab Theater

Joey Bostic is a Fort Myers based actor and aspiring director. He currently appears in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Laboratory Theater of Florida. Bostic’s previous credits include the role of Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at both Fort Myers Theater and New Phoenix Theatre, Benny in Rent at Fort Myers Theatre, virgin-turned-vampire Madeleine Astarte in Charles Busch’s Vampire Lesbians of Sodom for the Alliance for the Arts and the butler Jacob in La Cage Aux Folles. Go here to see the rest of Bostic’s theatrical credits.

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Chance Cintron is Norwayne Crumpler in ‘Doublewide, Texas’

Chance Cintron is a Fort Myers television and stage actor. He is appearing in the role of Norwayne Crumpler in Doublewide, Texas in the Off Broadway Palm through April 9. His stage credits include Ha! Ha! Ho! The Holiday Show at Off Broadway Palm (2022), Nick in Over the River and Through the Woods at Off Broadway Palm, Bo in Grumpy Old Men for Broadway Palm, Konstantin Treplyov in FSW Black Box Theatre’s production of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, Mr. Wormwood in Florida Repertory Theatre Education’s conservancy production of Matilda and Georg in Florida Rep Education’s conservancy production of Spring Awakening. You’ll find more of Chance’s credits here.

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Louise Cornetta plays alcoholic mom in ‘Hollywood Arms’

Louise K. Cornetta makes her Marco Island debut in the role of Louise in Hollywood Arms for Arts Center Theatre. The role is based on Carol Burnette’s real-life mother, who struggled with and eventually died from alcoholism. Although she graduated cum laude with a degree in theater from the University of Southern California, Louise did not initially go into acting but instead began a 27-year career ESPN that took her to every major sporting event. But Cornetta eventually found her way back to the stage seven years ago. View more of Louise’s credits here.

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Kevin Crumpler returns to Fort Myers Theatre as Judas and John the Baptist in ‘Godspell’

Kevin Crumpler plays the parts of John the Baptist and Judas for Fort Myers Theatre in Godspell. His prior credits include Professor Bhaer in Little Women (his Florida debut), Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the Beast in Beauty & The Beast, Lancelot in Camelot, Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde, Warren Sheffield in Meet Me in St. Louis and Sonny Malone in Xanadu. Go here for the rest of Kevin’s credits.

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Jorja Evans one of Jesus’ disciples in ‘Godspell’

Jorja Evans plays one of Jesus’ modern-day disciples for Fort Myers Theatre in Godspell. Her previous credits include Amy March in Little Women, work in the ensemble of Elf Jr., Miss Honey in Matilda, Jr., Mrs. McKee in The Great Gatsby, Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank and Ursula in Fort Myers Theatre’s summer show The Little Mermaid Jr. (2020).

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Jackie Gossett one of disciples in ‘Godspell’

Jackie Gossett is a talented young actor-singer. She presently portrays one of Jesus’ disciples in Fort Myers Theatre’s production of Godspell. Jackie’s prior credits include the parts of Moana in Moana, Jr. at Florida Repertory Theatre, Charlotte in 13 the Musical at Gypsy Playhouse, Ariel in The Little Mermaid Jr. at Florida Repertory Theatre, Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher and Impulsive in The Experiment.

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Steven Michael Kennedy is Adolfo Perilli in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Steven Michael Kennedy is a Cape Coral actor and director. He currently plays the part of Adolfo Pirelli for Lab Theater in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Steven’s acting credits include Melanie Daniels in Lab Theater’s parody of The Birds, Princeton in Avenue Q,  Leonardo da Vinci in Botticelli in the Fire  and Grumpy Old Men for Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. You will find the rest of Steven Michael’s credits here.

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Mark King in ‘Sweeney Todd’ ensemble

Mark King continues to expand his thespian resume. He appears in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for the Laboratory Theater of Florida through March 11, 2023. Go here to find out what else Mark has been in.

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Gabrielle Lansden is Johanna in ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Lab Theater

Gabrielle Lansden is a multitalented creative. In addition to being a gifted actor, she is a self-employed voice actor, Scenic Designer for Laboratory Theater of Florida and promotional model and brand ambassador at Rockstar Harley-Davidson. She currently appears for Lab Theater in the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Lansden’s acting credits include the part of Lucy in Avenue Q and Janet Weiss in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show. Go here for more on Gabrielle’s theatrical credits.

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John McKerrow is Jonas Fogg and ensemble member in ‘Sweeney Todd’

John McKerrow is a Naples-based stage, film and television actor, director and acting coach. He appears in the role of Jonas Fogg and the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Lab Theater. Included in John’s local stage credits are Ed/Father for Players Circle Theatre in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Prospero in The Tempest (Lab Theater), Bill in Mamma Mia!, Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth in Macbeth and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. Go here to see John’s full profile.

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MaryAnne McKerrow makes Lab Theater debut as Mrs. Lovett in ‘Sweeney’

MaryAnne McKerrow makes her Lab Theater debut in the role of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Naples audiences last saw MaryAnne on stage at The Naples Players as Donna in Mamma Mia! Other musical theater performing credits include Momma Rose in Gypsy, Madame Thernardier in Les Miserables, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, the title role in Mame and Agnes in I Do! I Do! You can read more about MaryAnne here.

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Trace Meier plays corrupt Judge Turpin in ‘Sweeney Todd’ for Lab Theater

Trace Meier portrays corrupt Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It is Judge Turpin who foments Sweeney’s murder spree by sentencing him to a penal colony in Australia on false charges so that he’ll have unimpeded access to Sweeney’s beautiful young wife, Lucy, who commits suicide by poison after being raped and tormented by the judge. Back in London fifteen years later, Sweeney swears to avenge his wife and daughter. Trace’s stage credits include Sir Danvers Carew for New Phoenix Theatre in Jekyll & Hyde the Musical, multiple roles in Quartet and Young Frankenstein, and Dr. Scott in Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show. 

You will find the rest of Trace’s theatrical credits here.

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Ariana Milian in ‘Sweeney Todd’ ensemble

Ariana Milian presently appears in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Laboratory Theater of Florida through March 11, 2023. She previously appeared as Sister Sophia in The Sound of Music for Fort Myers Theatre, as one of the phantoms in The Rocky Horror Show, in the ensemble of Rent, as one of the cut dancers in A Chorus Line and Alice in Alice in Wonderland. A Florida Gulf Coast University alum, Ariana has loved theatre and being onstage since she was very young.

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Lauren Miller is Beggar Woman in ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Lab Theater

Lauren Miller plays the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Lab Theater. Among Lauren’s prior stage credits are Joanne Jefferson for Fort Myers Theatre in the rock opera Rent, Ann Putnam in Lab Theater’s production of The Crucible, Mazeppa in Gypsy, Sister Mary Hubert in Nunsense, Henrietta in All Shook Up and Kit Kat Girl Texas in Brenda Kensler’s blockbuster production of Cabaret in 2015.

Go here to view the rest of Lauren’s theatrical credits.

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Samantha Pudlin one of the disciples in ‘Godspell’ at Fort Myers Theatre

Samantha Pudlin  is appearing as one of the disciples in Godspell at Fort Myers Theatre. Pudlin’s recent stage credits include the role of Meg in Little Women for Fort Myers Theatre, ensemble work in Head Over Heels for New Phoenix Theatre, the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors and Marcy Park in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, all for Cultural Park Theatre. The rest of Samantha’s profile is here.

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River Reed is young Tobias in ‘Sweeney Todd’

River Reed plays the part of Tobias for Lab Theater in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He was last seen in the role of Les in Newsies and on the Lab Theater stage in Mothers and Sons. River has been acting since the age of six, appearing in productions at numerous Southwest Florida venues, including the Alliance for the Arts, Broadway Palm Dinner Theater, Cultural Park Theater, Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers Theatre, Lab Theater and Melody Lane Performing Arts Center. Go here for more.

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Dave Rode plays bucket list role of Sweeney Todd at Lab Theater

Dave Rode plays a bucket list part when he assumes the title role of Sweeney Todd for Lab Theater. “For me this is the culmination of a long journey that started when I first heard Michael Cerveris perform the title part,” divulges Dave, who “finds ways” to connect with his character, a serial killer who helps dice up his victims so that his partner, Mrs. Lovett, can include them as the key ingredient in the meat pies she sells to the good people of London. You will find the rest of Dave’s stage credits here.

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Olivia Rodriguez is young Helen for Arts Center Theatre in ‘Hollywood Arms’

Olivia Rodriguez portrays a young Carol Burnette (Helen) for Arts Center Theatre in Hollywood Arms. The 14-year-old Marco Island resident (by way of Boston, Massachusetts) discovered her love for performing at a very young age through dance and theatre. In 2019, she played the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python’s Spamalot and in 2020 played the role of Katrina in The Ghost in the Typewriter. The rest of Olivia’s profile is here.

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Cameron Rogers is the sailor, Anthony, in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Local actor Cameron Rogers is amassing an impressive resume. He currently plays the part of Anthony for Lab Theater in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Cameron’s stage credits to date include the CFABS Youth Theatre’s production of Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, Chevalier Raphael Danceny in Laboratory Theater’s production of Dangerous Liaisons, Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods at Florida Rep, the groom in The Wedding Story, and Brad in Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show for New Phoenix Theatre. Go here for all of Cameron’s theatrical credits.

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Theo Rosso a disciple in ‘Godspell’ at Fort Myers Theatre

Theo Rosso appears as one of the disciples in Godspell at Fort Myers Theatre. Rosso’s previous roles include Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, Javert in Les Miserables, Ren in Footloose, Lonny Barnett in Rock of Ages and George in The Drowsy Chaperone. Rosso also served on the opposite side of the footlights, working as Assistant Director in Fort Myers Theatre’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank.

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Vanessa Schoof in ‘Doublewide, Texas’ at Off Broadway Palm

Vanessa Schoof made her professional acting debut at Theatre Conspiracy in the role of Susie Glenn in Selina Fillinger’s drama Faceless. Now she appears in Doublewide, Texas in the Off Broadway Palm Theatre. Born and raised in Fort Myers, she pursued theater at Lehigh Senior High School. Her most notable performances there included the roles of Addaperle in The Wiz, Violet in 9 to 5, and Donna Alternate in Mamma Mia! Go here for more on Vanessa.

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Kayci Suskind plays one of disciples in ‘Godspell’ for Fort Myers Theatre

Kayci Suskind is an aspiring actor who appears as a disciple in Godspell for Fort Myers Theatre. Her acting credits include Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank for Fort Myers Theatre (2021), the Sour Kangaroo in Seussical the Musical for Creative Theatre Workshop (2021), and worked in the ensemble (and Kitty’s understudy) in The Drowsy Chaperone for Creative Theater Workshop. Go here for the rest of Kayci’s credits.

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Angela Thomas makes Florida debut in Sweeney ensemble

Angela Thomas makes her Florida debut at Lab Theater in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Before relocating to Florida, Angela wrote and directed for the HopKins Black Box Theatre at Louisiana State University and worked with the Lauren Reilly Eliot Theatre Company in Lafayette, Louisiana in shows like Fences (Rose) and The Sound of Music (Mother Abbess).

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Sharon True leaves ensemble on Sundays to play Lovett in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Sharon True works in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street … except on Sundays, when she takes over the role of Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney’s pie-paking confederate and co-conspirator. Lovett is a fascinating character. She comes across as diabolically manipulative, but Sweeney himself puts his finger on her true motivation. She’s a ruthless and unapologetic pragmatist or, in Sweene’s words, “eminently practical.” Why waste a perfectly good corpse when the flesh can be used in lieu of hard-to-get animal meat for the pies she sells in her shop below Sweeney’s barber shop. The rest of this post is here.

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Cristine Villarreal makes theatrical debut in role of Helen in ‘Hollywood Arms’

Cristina Villarreal makes her theater debut in the role of Older Helen in Hollywood Arms at Arts Center Theatre. Like the aspirational Carol Burnett character that she plays in the dramedy, Cristina chases many rainbows in real life. After working in corporate America for a while, she traveled to explore and live in New Zealand for two years, where she developed a love for living and working unconventionally.

The rest of Cristine’s profile is here.

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Kendra Weaver returns to Foulds Theatre as voice of the wall in ‘Hatmaker’s Wife’

Kendra made her Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance debut as Goodman in Men on Boats, She returns the Foulds Theatre stage as the voice of the wall in Lauren Yee’s The Hatmaker’s Wife, and she regularly appears as Mom and Wife in the new dramedy Our Crazy Life, which also stars (mais oui) her hilarious husband and rambunctious kids.

Go here to see all of Kendra’s stage credits.

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Jack Weld plays Beadle Bamford with ruthless detachment in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Jack Weld plays the part of Beadle Bamford in Lab Theater’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. As corrupt Judge Turpin’s greasy lackey, it is Beadle who orders the police to arrest Benjamin Barker on false charges so that with him out of the way, the judge can drug and rape his pretty young wife. Weld portrays the Beadle with a ruthless detachment reminiscent of Travolta’s Vincent Vega, possibly a reflection of his Shakespearean heritage. The rest of Jack’s theatrical credits are here.

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Madelaine Weymouth is Voice in ‘The Hatmaker’s Wife’

Madelaine Weymouth plays Voice in Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance’s production of Lauren Yee’s The Hatmaker’s Wife. Maddy’s acting credits include Jen in Bekah Brunstetter’s The Cake for the Alliance for the Arts, Claudia Faith Draper in Nuts for The Studio Players, Elina in 2019 New Play Contest winner Phillip Christian’s The Chechens, Betty Schaefer in Lab Theater’s summer spoof Sunset Schmoulevard, and Clarice Orsini in the regional premiere of Jordan Tannahill’s Botticelli in the Fire. Go here for more.

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Jim Yarnes is Meckle in ‘The Hatmaker’s Wife’

Jim Yarnes is enjoying his 43rd year on stage. He started with Gulf Coast Opera Company before going on to perform at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater, Cultural Park Theater, Lab Theater and Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance for the Arts. He next appears in the role of big-hearted Meckle in Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance’s production of Lauren Yee’s magical surrealistic comedy The Hatmaker’s Wife.

Go here to view Jim’s full profile.

Carmen Crussard makes Theatre Conspiracy directorial debut with ‘The Hatmaker’s Wife’

She makes her Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance directorial debut with Lauren Yee’s The Hatmaker’s Wife, a beautiful and poignant story that is sure to move audiences with its authenticity and dazzle them with its whimsy. At the Alliance, she is best known as its Youth Theatre Director. In that capacity, she has directed such wondrously ambitious, wonderfully-staged and densely-packed musical productions over the past decade as Pippin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Calvin Berger, Monty Python’s Spamalot the Musical, Heathers the Musical, Almost, Maine, Peter Pan, Jr. and Xanadu, Jr. See all of Carmen’s credits here.

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Paul Graffy tackles Sondheim as ‘Sweeney Todd’ director

Paul Graffy tackles Sondheim as director for Lab Theater’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Graffy has directed more than 15 productions, including Hedwig and the Angry Inch for Lab Theater in 2018, Beth Henley’s Southern Gothic tragi-comedy Crimes of the Heart for Lab Theater in 2018, Les Liaisons Dangereuses for The Naples Players in 2014 and Steel Magnolias for The Naples Players in 2013. He next directs Les Liaisons Dangereuses for Lab Theater. He next directs The Cocktail Hour at Players Circle Theatre. Go here for all of Paul’s theatrical credits.

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Paul Graffy stages Halloween of Musicals as dark and disquieting ghost story

Paul Graffy has directed more than fifteen shows, but none more challenging than Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

What makes Sweeney so daunting?

“It’s Stephen Sondheim,” says Paul flatly. “The score is … I don’t even know what to say … it is endlessly fascinating to listen to. I’ve been familiar with it since 1979 when I bought the two-record Broadway cast recording of Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou. And it is absolutely incredible music that you keep hearing nuance after nuance. It’s really, really thrilling.”

The rest of Paul’s insights can be found here.

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Madelaine Weymouth is ‘Sweeney Todd’ Assistant Director

Madelaine Weymouth serves as Assistant Director in Lab Theater’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Her other directing credits include The Parking Lot for Theatre Conspiracy, The Thanksgiving Play and the regional premiere of Chiara Atik’s comedy Five Times in One Night. As head of Lab’s winter camp, she also co-directed Trap, The Wolves (2019) and Evil Dead (2018).

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Spotlight on 37th Annual All Florida Exhibit Best in Show ‘White Shirt’

On March 3, Juror Grace Gdaniec chose an oil painting by Dunedin perceptual painter Anders Fernach titled White Shirt as the 37th Annual All Florida Exhibit’s Best in Show. Although he paints a wide range of subject matter, Fernach often chooses to paint the everyday, the familiar, the mundane. “I find there is beauty in the every-day that is all too often overlooked,” says Fernach, who makes slow, quiet paintings in a fast, loud world.

Go here for more.

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